A Heartfelt Story : Surgery Updates!

Hi everyone!

Eli has been doing well in surgery. We got our first update at 9:35am and they said that they were able to make the first incision. For those of you that don't know, Eli's surgery is not through the middle of his chest. The surgeons are able to enter from his right side. It's called a right thoracotomy incision. Only a few hospitals in the US do this procedure and Sutter is one of them!!! It is less invasive, as they don't have to break his sternum to get to his heart and they go through an artery. It's pretty amazing what they do!!! We are so thankful that this surgery was available to him.

We got the second update around 10:40 or so, and things were going well! We will get an update every hour or so until it is finished. Dr. Watanabe told us that he was thinking it would be done around 12pm.

We have seen a lot of our "extended family" (the hospital staff) today and yesterday. It's crazy how we just easily slip right back into this role. I thought it would be hard for us to be here after all that we endured with Ella, but it really hasn't been. The hardest part for me was when we were on our way to the x-ray area of the hospital yesterday and walked down the hall that goes to the operating room. We walked that hall so many times, not knowing if our daughter was going to come out alive or not, so it stirred up a little bit of emotions for me, but it was more of a longing for Ella, rather than a traumatic experience.

The Child Life staff member that helped Eli this morning was so sweet. As I said before, Eli went into his room and on the bed were some Hot Wheels and a track to play with as well as a gift from Child Life that had Cars toys and art supplies and a Lightning McQueen pillowcase. He was so excited. This boy has been gifted so many wonderful things during this season of life. It has been such a blessing!

After we changed him into the hospital gown, we sat and prayed for Eli. He got a little teary eyed as he was feeling scared about what was coming. It was a sweet time together to just pause in the midst of all of the people coming in and out and pray for him.

Later, he was told about all of the tubes and things he would be connected to after his surgery, but as the Child Life member was telling him about them and showing them to him on a doll, the Versed (It helps to cause drowsiness, decrease anxiety, and to decrease his memory of the surgery or procedure) really kicked in and he was barely able concentrate or talk. He was so silly and kept looking at my face and telling me, in a very slurred way, that I look like I have four eyes.😆 He also told the nurse that came in to wheel him to the OR that she looked like she had three eyes. So he was definitely all loopy! It was a little hard for Matt and I to see him like that, but we would rather have seen him like that than crying and scared. I am still picturing how he was looking at us as they wheeled him away... Can't wait to see his face again.

Currently, Matt and I are sitting in the lobby that we used to call our living room, watching the Disney movies that are on the TV. Two down, who knows how many to go! It is right outside of the PICU.

On another note, it feels weird being here on a surgery day and not being with our parents. They were always here with us on these days in our "living room". I know that they wish they could be here with us too.

Just got the 3rd update: They are currently "warming him" and he will be off the bypass machine in about a half hour! Thank goodness. I keep thinking about how amazing it is that these machines exist.

We know that he is in the BEST hands (God's) and the second best hands (the hospital staff's). Thank you for all the prayers!!

Here are some photos from yesterday and this morning:

Yesterday in the Pediatric Day Unit for the pre-op things: